D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Arcane Archer

[Findlefarb]

How well does the Arcane Archer stack up to other characters these days? How was it under the core rules, and have new rules/books since then improved it or weakened it?
As a PC rises from first level to and through Arcane Archer, are there strong points? Weak points? How is an AA at 9-10 character levels, say?

 

[Nifft]

Flavor: strong as ever.
Implementation: weak, weak, weak, and way off flavor.

Basically, in 3.0e, it was great to have free +5 arrows -- they could bypass all DR, and thus hurt anything! Arrow enhancement stacked with bow enhancement, so it was a sweet deal all around.

Then 3.5e came along and nerfed the Cleric archer trick*, made DR more interesting, and these two changes taken together really ruined the mechanical justification for the Arcane Archer's main class feature. IMHO the changes were necessary -- 3.0e Cleric archers were too strong, and stacking arrow enhancement bonus on top of bow bonus made archery in general too strong, and I like the new DR rules, but they should have changed how the AA worked, too.

I've done a replacement for this PrC, and it's available in House Rules -- er, Archives -- anyway, here:
http://www.enworld.org/archive/index.php/t-67172.html

Cheers, -- N

*) Cast greater magic weapon twice, once on bow and once on arrows, for free super-magic every day.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I don't think that Arcane Archer got a fair shake. I have considered modifying the class for my games like so:

Half caster progression. +1 to arcane spellcasting class every even level
No Arrow of Death or Phase Arrow abilities
Hail of Arrows moved to level 10 to become the capstone ability, Seeker Arrow moved to level 6

I think that having the half caster progression makes up for losing the advantages lost in 3.5, when I also take away those two abilities. Having a limitless supply of magic arrows is good, but not good enough now that it's not related to overcoming damage reduction.

edit: I also like the look of Nifft's alternate. Am I reading that right, in that you grant half caster progression as well, or does that "+1 level" mean something different?

 

[Nifft]

edit: I also like the look of Nifft's alternate. Am I reading that right, in that you grant half caster progression as well, or does that "+1 level" mean something different?

Thanks, and yes. 1/2 caster progression.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Findlefarb]

That PrC is interesting, Nifft. I suspected that the AA was weak, weak, weak (as opposed to just simply weak) because Imbue Arrow, as written, isn't particularly compelling, and the Enhance Arrow powers can be replaced with a magic bow (sure, sundering won't be an issue, but overall it still seems weak).

I'll have to read over the stuff on the thread and think about it some more.

By the way, what do you see when you think of an Arcane Archer? Sure, there's the elf archer who casts spells, but that's just mechanical and kind of clunky looking. Perhaps it's someone who contemplates the bow, and uses the bow to focus their magical energies? Does the awareness of the Arcane Archer ultimately extend to the arrows? I imagine someone who considers the bow an extension of the self, and the arrows an extension of the archer's magical power.

 

[Nifft]

Imbue Arrow is nearly useless. The 1st level spells that it can usefully apply to are color spray and burning hands.

The enhanced arrows can be replaced by a magic bow, sure, or by a greater magic weapon cast by any Cleric, Wizard, Sorcerer or Bard.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Legildur]

The enhanced arrows can be replaced by a magic bow, sure, or by a greater magic weapon cast by any Cleric, Wizard, Sorcerer or Bard.

Not in 3.5e. From the SRD:

Greater Magic Weapon (Transmutation)
Level: Clr 4, Pal 3, Sor/Wiz 3